Corrupted Harmony
by Yolo Hobo Joe
Summary: Sombra has waged a long war in Equestria. He's captured a lot of ground. But Equestria is not ready to give up just yet.
1. Introduction

The war with King Sombra and the Crystal Empire had been waging for years. Almost everypony remembered the time before the Crystal Invasion, when there was peace and color and everything seemed right. That all changed, however when the missing kingdom returned from a banishment lasting over one-thousand years. Within hours of its return, Sombra had regained power and achieved his status over the Crystal Ponies, all it took then was to turn them into the magical soldiers that the Equestrians first encountered when they began conquering the villages and town bordering the Frozen North.

When news of the attacks reached the princess, she took immediate action. The Royal Guard was larger than it had previously been, due to the return and defeat of Celestia's sister, Nightmare Moon. Nonetheless, they didn't stand a chance when it came to the military engagement that ensued. Celestia herself led the Equestrian front, while Sombra led the Empire's.

In the end, Celestia's captains were not prepared for a confrontation on the scale that there was. The Equestrians were outnumbered and outmatched. Out of the many that fought at the battle, few made it to Celestia's rendezvous farther south. That day was lost and most of the First Royal Guard were captured or missing.

The tattered remains of Equestria's finest soldiers dispersed among to land to recruit militia to potentially halt the Dark King's advances. Their attempts were not in vain and everywhere Sombra turned in this land, his armies met resistance. The Wonderbolts of Cloudesdale were humiliated when they heard the news of the defeat of their princess. They departed Cloudesdale for combat but were never heard from again. Whether or not they made it to battle against Sombra is unknown.

After these first encounters, the battle lines were drawn and what Sombra had clearly hoped to be a short and easy takeover, turned into an extended conflict. Almost immediately the Equestrian industry exploded and ponies of all kinds joined up under the princess's wings to fight this invader and to put an end to his tyranny.

From what accounts can tell, Sombra himself was last seen leading his troops in the Siege of Vanhoover. Once the surrounding countryside was under his control, he disappeared and left his troops to finish the the siege. It took over a year for the city to give way. Food and supplies were smuggled into its harbor at night, allowing the ponies inside to remain and keep up the defense against the siege.

Eventually, the city's walls mysteriously fell outward filling the moat with rubble and allowing the surrounding army to overtake the city. From there Sombra's army has pushed farther south on the west coast. Manehatten volunteers have made sure that Sombra's soldiers on the east coast did not make much headway. That's where the battle lines remained for a good year and a half. There was no major confrontation, but smaller engagements ensued.

Recently, however, Sombra's troops began pushing the lines. The ponies that were able be, were evacuated from towns like Ponyville. Most of whom went to the old capital, Canterlot.

Along the west coast of Equestria, the crystal armies captured thin stretches of land that went all the way to Equestria's southern border. They then came East, almost as far as Appleoosa. The Buffalo herds have made it difficult for them to pass through the valley. The natives don't want the crystals to ruin their stampeding routes.

With Equestria holding on by a thread, the juggernaut pulled out. The battle-lines pass so close to Canterlot, which is still acts as the capitol, that one swift blow and Equestria would be finished. Sombra set his sights on bigger opponents. He attacked the Gryphon Kingdoms. It is rumored that his army is growing and will soon move on to other nations.

Celestia leads her fledgling army now. In her place, to keep the stability of Equestria, she appointed officials to form a council representing each major city still in Equestrian hooves. It is this council that has overseen Equestria's war effort and musters up the funds to keep them going.

In the cities themselves, everypony works around the clock to keep the machines turning out equipment and food for the dying kingdom and army. The ponies know that they fight a hopeless cause. Still, they work day and night to keep up the fight.

The days are long and dull, while the nights are short, ponies across the land still hope for a single spark of victory, a light of rejuvenation, a glimmer of hope.

* * *

 **Here's the synopsis. What do you think? Thoughts?**

 **/)**


	2. Chapter 1

It was late in the evening in Manehatten and a young, brown unicorn was on his was back home after a long day at work. Bolted Bight held in his hooves a letter from his brother, who had volunteered for service a little over a year ago against King Sombra. The sun was low over the harbor, casting an amber orange hue over the ocean, as he trotted past the massive ships of imports. To his left, across the road, were smelly factories and industrial buildings that rose to meet the sky.

It was a beautiful evening, and he paused for a moment to acknowledge it. The air was clean, and for a brief moment he felt as if he were back on the front porch of his parent's firework shop. He reveled in the moment. Soon it passed though, and he glanced back at the paper from his brother. They wrote each other periodically to check up on eachother.

Bight was perhaps one of the most informed ponies in all of Manehatten, as to the condition of the war effort. And he knew it wasn't good. Manehatten itself probably produced five times more equipment than the army actually needed.

As the letter read, Armored Ember, his brother, was in a unit of the Canterlot corps. They had been giving more and more territory to Sombra's forces simply because they weren't in the condition to fight them. The would stand off for a week, then retreat a mile. Then stand off a week, then retreat.

Most of the letter was him complaining about the lack of leadership and terrible conditions for the soldiers, no wonder so many ponies chose to work the factories instead of on the front lines. At least Equestrian products were allowing other nations to combat Sombra to a degree. No pony had won a battle against his forces yet.

As he rounded a corner to head to his apartment, he folded up the note and placed it in his saddlebag. Ponies were everywhere on the streets in the evening, as many were just getting off work, others were getting ready to take over the night shifts.

He trotted along, not in a particular rush, but he was eager to get home. When Bight did make it home, he found his roommate, Flintlock, reclined on a cushion, reading a pamphlet. Their apartment was on the third floor and was built pre-war. An old mare rented it out to them for a generous amount. It still took both of them to pay it though.

Flintlock looked up as Bight opened the door. "Hey, you're home early. Boss let you off?"

Bight shook his head. "You know old Crab Cakes never lets anypony off early. No, I just came straight home today."

Usually, Bight would go find somewhere quiet to sit and draw schematics in his journal. One thing that not many ponies knew about him, only Flint, was that he was a novice inventor, but liked to dream big. Before the war, he'd tried to get a few small inventions published, but wasn't very successful. Looking back now, they were probably for the best. None of his earlier inventions would really help anypony.

Flintlock shrugged then went back to his reading. It was a government pamphlet, all about how well Equestria was doing. It was in an effort to keep ponies happy and hopeful, but everpony knew it was all exaggerated.

Bight had left his journal at home today. He'd just forgotten it. He sat at his desk and opened up his window. He inhaled deeply, beneath the industrial odors and atmosphere, there was still the cool ocean breeze.

He sat down and flipped through his journal to an empty page. Usually something would come to him, but after a few minutes, he set it aside. He opened up a drawer and pulled out a large map of Equestria. The lines of the forces had been drawn out every time he had an update on something. Using a marker, he added a thin indentation outside Canterlot and sighed. At this rate, less than a month and Sombra would control the old capitol.

Equestrian's weren't brainless. When the front lines started to come too close, the capitol of Equestria was moved to Baltimare. Or so it was on paper. Most official business still ran out of the Royal Palace itself.

With a sigh, he got up.

"I'm gonna put dinner on."

Flintlock had picked up a real book now. He worked at a cloth mill, winding wool and cotton into the string and threads that were then cut into the uniforms that every soldier wore. Neither one of them were happy with their postions, but it beat the front lines.

"Okay, there's some Smith Sauce in the fridge and Top's Turnips in the pantry," Flintlock said.

He put both of the cans on the cheap stove. The applesauce can had a picture of a smiling old mare, and the diced turnip can had a picture of an orange pony holding a red, bulbous vegetable. He put them on to boil. Before long, they were ready.

When he returned to the living room to call Flintlock in to eat, he was just in time to see a strong gust of wind yank his journal out the window.

In a mad panic, he dashed over and tried to grab it. He missed with his mouth, so he wrapped it in his magic. Then next thing he knew, however, there was no floor. Uh oh.

He fell two stories. Fortunately the old mare had the awning out. He hit it and bounced off, landing with a 'thud' in the middle of the street. By now, the number of ponies had decreased and the sun was pretty much down, night beginning to envelope the city.

The next thing Bight knew, there was a small crowd of ponies around him, and Flintlock had his head sticking out of their window.

"Are you alright?" "Should we call an ambulance?" "Somepony check his pulse." The ponies around weren't quite sure what to do.

"I'm alright," Bight said to the crowd. "I'm fine, just winded. Where's my journal?"

A yellow mare trotted up, holding the book in her mouth. She was flipping through the pages.

"Did you design these?" she asked.

Bight nodded. "Yes, now can I please have it back?"

She handed the book over.

"You know, there's a contest going on in all the major cities in Equestria. The government is looking for the brightest and best inventors in the land. I was going enter myself, but nothing I could design could compare to anything you've come up with."

Bight gave her a look of confusion. "I haven't heard of this contest," he said.

The mare pulled a pamphlet out of her saddlebags. "Here's the flier if you decide to enter. Are you sure you're not hurt?"

Bight nodded again. "I'm fine, thanks."

He was still shaken from the fall, and surprised he hadn't even broken a limb. He headed back upstairs for dinner. As the adrenaline rush faded, his chest began to feel bruised. He considered himself lucky that he hadn't been hurt worse.

Upon looking at the flier that the mare gave him, he realized this could be just the chance he needed. The address for the competition was just around the corner. He would head to the government building in the morning.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading this first chapter. If you like it, leave a comment and tell me what you think.**

 **/)**


	3. Chapter 2

It was early. The sun had not yet risen. Already in Manehattern, ponies were out shopping, working, or on their way to work. Bolted Bight's shift still had an hour or two before it began. He was on his way to the address posted on the paper.

The building looked just like every other building in Manehatten since the war began; brick, plain, and uniform. There was no space between any of the buildings in this part of town, not that Bight was looking to wander down an alley, but it was something that he had noticed.

He looked up at the moon and the shape of a mare plastered on it's face. "Please," he muttered to himself.

The inside was just as plain as the outside, though a little cleaner. The floors were white, the ceiling was white, even the walls were white, except for a green border about half-way up. And with the mare sitting behind the desk with a clipboard, the setting reminded him of the doctor's office waiting room. Although wartime isn't the time for complaining about ugly rooms.

He approached the desk. The mare was filling out paperwork and didn't even notice him. Bight cleared his throat.

"Can I help you?" She didn't look up.

"Yes, I'm here for the inventor's competition." He handed showed her the pamphlet. The mare shrugged.

"Pinball should be able to see you right now." She gestured down the hall. "Fourth door on your left."

"Wait, now? I came here to schedule an appointment."

The mare did not respond. So with a shrug, he headed down the hall and peered in the door. A grey earth-pony was sitting at a desk in the office. He looked up at him.

"Hello, can I help you with something?" he said.

"Yes," Bight repeated. "I would like to participate in the inventor's competition."

"Ah, of course. Take seat. Let me see what you've got. What's your name?"

"Bolted Bight."

The office was a little bit more homey than the entrance. The desk was dark oak and decorated with trinkets and ornaments. A sword and shield hung on one wall. There were two paintings on the others. Papers were piled high. Two chairs sat opposite his desk. They were a red velvet.

Bight sat in one of these chairs and pulled out a drawing from one of his saddlebags. The pony picked up the drawing and put on a pair of reading glasses.

"Hmm." He paused and after a moment he said, "What is it?"

"It's a re-designed catapult. This one can hurl boulders twice as fast and three times as far as the current ones."

"Impressive. Do you know for sure that it will work?"

"The scale-model prototype worked well enough. I see no reason why a full-scale model wouldn't work."

"You have a prototype? Any chance you could bring it in?"

Bight shook his head, "I don't have it any more. I set it on a shelf and it fell off and broke."

"Ah, do you have anything else or is this it?"

"I have this, though it won't help the war effort much."

Bight produced a second drawing from the bag. This one was a cannibalized train engine, fit for a ship.

"An engine?" the pony asked.

"Yes. This, I believe, is much more powerful than the sails that we've been using. I have a friend that helped me design this one."

The stallion studied the drawings intently. He seemed quite impressed. Bight looked around the room.

"Were you in the Royal Guard?" Bight asked. The stallion followed his gaze to the sword on the wall.

"Yeah, back when there was such a thing," he said.

"I heard about the Battle of Galloping Gorge."

Pinball, as the nameplate on his desk read, sighed. "Yeah, I was there."

"From what I heard, only a hoof-full made it out. How did you do it?"

There was a long pause before his response.

"I ran away. We were surrounded. Sombra outnumbered us a dozen to one. The captain tried to call for reinforcements, but the Princesses didn't believe the size of the army we were facing. They surrounded us and beat us back into pockets of small numbers. My pocket was close enough to the edge of the battle, that when we were backed against a wall. We were all thinking the same thing. All of us at the same time bolted straight into the crowd of Sombra's warriors in the same direction. Four of the six of us were seized. The other two tried to help us."

The pony stood up and trotted over to the wall. He was missing a hind leg.

"In the end, four of us got away. The other two didn't make it. We went south, all the way back to Canterlot. When we got back, we reported the loss. I expected to be put back on the front lines. I wanted another chance at Sombra. Instead they sent me here. Told me I was to be part of the garrison at Manehetten. When I got here, they pointed me to this office, and I've been here ever since."

"That's amazing. What happened to the other three?"

"Oh, they were sent out to gather ponies for militias and volunteer units, along with any other ponies that made it back in one piece. The remains of the First Royal Guard are now scattered all over Equestria, leading the armies."

"You know, Equestria could have won that battle, had the guard stayed on their side of the river. You had spears, Sombra didn't. You just needed to keep them from coming up your bank."

"How do you know all that?"

"I've read up on it. All I want, just like any other pony in Equestria, is for the war to end. That was the first battle. If we had won it, we could've prevented these past years."

The pony sat back down and held up the drawings again.

"I also know that Equestria has stopped using its weapons to try to match Sombra's fighting style. We're never going to beat them at hoof-to-hoof combat." Bight continued

Pinball looked back at Bight.

"We're losing the war. If somepony doesn't do something about it, then we might as well pack up now and move to Maretonia."

Pinball handed Bight his drawings back and opened up his desk.

"I'm sending you to Canterlot," he said. "Show this ticket to to the guards at the train station, and they will take you to there. Once in, this ticket will get you a meeting with the War Council. Maybe even Celestia herself if she's in. I like you, Bolted Bight. I think you're just what Equestria needs."

Bight accepted the ticked and thanked Pinball for his time. When he went back outside, the sun had risen. If he didn't hurry, he would be late for work. He decided that he would head for the station in two days.

"Look out, Sombra. I'm coming for you," he muttered to himself.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. What do you think of it? Leave a comment telling me your thoughts.**

 **Brohoof /)**


	4. Chapter 3

By the end of the week, Bight was ready to go. It was an early, misty morning. A thin fog hung over the city and Manehatten harbor. There weren't many ponies at the station, as ponies usually stayed off the trains to make it easier for the military to move. Flintlock had joined Bight at the railroad station to see him off.

"So how long do you think you'll be gone?" he asked.

"I don't know. Maybe a week. I'll just have to see what happens," Bight replied.

"Yeah. Hey, take care of yourself, okay?"

"I'll be fine. You're the one who needs to stay out of trouble."

"Ha! Yeah, but I'm not falling out windows."

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

Bight shook his head with a smile.

"I'll see you later."

The two exchanged a wave and Bight headed for the terminal. He showed the mare behind the glass his ticket, and she pointed him down the station to a large platform. The train was in the station, restocking on coal that was probably imported.

The train itself didn't look like any of the small-town locomotives from before the war. This one was one of the iron, mass-produced giants that wouldn't look out-of-place in an abandoned warehouse. The engine was black, wrought iron, and bellowed steam like a forest fire would smoke. The train wasn't fast, but it was powerful.

The train cars were just as dull. They were all grey and everything was metal. The cars were crammed with soldiers that had enlisted. The process was simple. Sombra would threaten some town, the ponies would be evacuated, then they would almost all enlist. The metal bars covering the windows were bent. There were rumors that trains had been attacked while in motion. The rumors must have been true.

Bight took his seat next to a window. A small mare sat down next to him. She looked to be only slightly older than a filly. She was clad in a military uniform, and was looking at her hooves, shaking.

"Are you alright?" Bight asked.

"Y-yes," she said. The poor pony didn't say anything else.

"Okay then."

The train ride was a few hours, though they felt like the longest hours in Bight's life. He sat and watched the green fields roll by. At first it seemed peaceful. The skies were blue, the fields were green. It was almost like there wasn't even a war going on. As they got closer to Canterlot, he began to see the giant crystal pillars in the distance. Sombra was certainly not making his advances quietly. Anywhere that he controlled, the dark crystals sprouted up. Nopony really knew why.

The train slowed as they approached Canterlot. There was no shield like there had been with the Changelings. Sombra was using an entirely different kind of magic. A shield like that would have been useless.

The wall around Canterlot was higher than Bight had expected. Then again, he'd never been to the capitol. The moat around the city was dry, but there was enough water that it was little more than a mud bed. Bight caught a quick glimpse of the Canterlot Corps that had encamped around the base of the walls.

Once the train pulled into the station, everypony was inspected by guards. They were making sure no spies or traitors got into the city. Once Bight was cleared, he headed to the palace. The castle, which could be seen from almost anywhere in Equestria, took Bight's breath away. It was the prime of pre-war art and architecture.

The towers rose high into the air. The floors were decorated with fine rugs. Stained glass windows lined every corridor. Then again, this was the home of the princesses.

Bight found his way to a reception desk and explained his situation to the mare. She told him that the entire War Council was currently in session and would be able to see him tomorrow. Once his appointment had been set, he made his way to the Equestrian battlements.

The places were ballistae would have been mounted sat empty. This was Equestria's first war. Ballistae had probably never donned the walls of Canterlot. They were just an architectural feature to make the city look great.

He headed down to the encampment in the dry moat. The conditions were pathetic. This was the equestrian military? They were wallowing the mud without weapons, or clean uniforms. The entire Canterlot Corps was just sitting on their flanks waiting for Sombra to waltz right in and take Canterlot. Bight looked for his brother, but couldn't find him among the sheer amount of ponies.

He did, however, find the captain's tent. Two guards stood outside.

"Hey, do you mind if I talk to the Captain for a moment?" Bight asked the guard.

"Do you have papers to see him?" the guard responded. Bight produced his ticket and showed the guard. The guard had not expected Bight to actually have anything, so after a quick glance, he allowed Bight to enter.

Bight knew he wasn't supposed to use the ticket for that, but if this worked out, he would be able to do some real good. If not, then nopony would get hurt, but Bight would probably be arrested. Oh well.

The tent was as one would expect. His cot and footlocker sat on one side of the room. A wooden fold-up table with a map sat in the center of the room. The map had the battle lines and troop locations on it.

The captain was standing over the table, looking at the map. He wore Royal Guard armor. He was white with a blue mane. He stood tall and proud. Shining Armor was clearly a symbol of military leadership. He looked up when Bight entered.

"Hello, who's this?" he asked.

"I'm Bolted Bight. I'm here on business from Manehatten."

"Good to meet you Bolted Bight, but if you'll excuse me, I have an army to command. Perhaps we can meet another time."

Bight took a seat, ignoring Shining's comment.

"My business concerns you. I'm meeting with the War Council tomorrow, and would like your opinion on the war effort."

"My opinion? I'm sorry, but if your a journalist, any one of the soldiers outside would be more than happy to be interviewed."

"I'm not a journalist. I'm an inventor and a tactician. Like I said, I'm meeting with the War Council. I want to hear about the war from the pony in charge."

There was a pause.

"The war?" Shining Armor shook his head. "The war is over. Give it a week and Sombra will be here. We've fallen back here to make a final stand. The Council knows it, Celestia knows it, the-"

"Do the soldiers know it?"

"What?"

"Do the soldiers know that their leadership has already conceded?"

There was another pause.

"No. No, they don't. I can't tell them that the cause is lost. They've all put so much towards this that I can't be the one to tell them that it was all for nothing."

"I see. Then if there is a slight chance of victory, do you think they'll fight?"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I know you're trying to match Sombra. His strategies, his fighting style, everything. You are because you know it works for him. And as such, you've discarded your weaponry in favor of faster, more maneuverable fighting techniques."

"I didn't do any of that. Those orders came from up top."

"I know. I also know that Canterlot's armory is still full of pre-war spears and shields."

"I'd be fired if I got those. It'd be in direct violation of chain-of-command."

"I see. If I could get you those weapons, then do you think you could manage a victory?"

"Victory is a long shot. There hasn't been a single victory against Sombra from any of the nations he's fighting. Not in all four years of this war. On top of that, the nations that he hasn't invaded are too afraid of him to do anything about it. So here's the situation: we're outnumbered four-to-one, we are terribly outmatched at hoof-to-hoof combat, and we have no help from any neighboring countries. Unless you can work a miracle in your meeting with the Council, we're done. There's no hope of victory against Sombra."

"You want to know my advice? Stop telling yourself that. Get your spears, get your shields, and start drilling combat formations tomorrow at sunrise. Divide your force into three shifts: on-duty, drilling, and off duty. I can do a lot, but you're the captain of the Canterlot Corps. I have a weapon that, if the Council accepts my proposal, will drastically change the war. Just hold out until I can get the all clear to develop it."

Shining just stood there agape. This Manehatten colt just trotted in and told him how to run his military. He looked slightly upset. Bight figured it was best to let him cool down for a bit, so he took his leave. As he headed back towards the city gates, the sight of the equstrian regulars sitting in the mud made Bight quite upset.

The sun was getting low now. He made his way to an inn and scheduled his room for the night.

Bight was back at the palace, early the next day. He showed the mare his ticket and proceeded into the council chamber.

It was a small room with a single, large wooden oval table in the center. Representatives from every major city in Equestria were seated around the table. The Canterlot representative sat at the far end, directly opposite the door Bight entered through.

"Mr. Bight," the white unicorn began. "You have entered the inventor's competition is this correct?"

"Yes," Bight reponded.

"Very well. We will see what you have to present. Do begin."

Bight produced his journal from his saddlebags and set it on the table. Then he looked every representative in the eyes.

"So," he began. "How's the war coming along?"

The council didn't respond.

"When is Equestria going to actually start fighting, huh? Each one of you knows just as well as I do why this competition was held. You're losing a war that you don't know how to fight and now you're desperate. In this book I have created potential weapons that could turn the tide of the war. However, we do currently have weapons that our soldiers were stripped of over three years ago. How do you expect soldiers to fight a war without weapons?"

The Cloudesdale representative, an old grey pegasus, hovered above her seat.

"This is preposterous! If the armies armed themselves, then somepony is bound to get hurt. We don't have weapons to match Sombra and we are acting on an unspoken agreement to not use weapons against eachother! This is a waste of time. Go back to Manehatten, city-bug!"

"Sit down, Cloudesdale. Collect yourself. Let's hear what he has to say," said the Manehatten representative.

"You can't," Bight continued, not acknowledging the interruption. "We fight hoof-to-hoof at every turn. We get spanked every time we fight hoof-to-hoof. What's the solution? Don't fight hoof-to-hoof. You don't need new weapons if you refuse to use the ones that you already have. It's not my place to say, but I suggest using what we have in storage. If it doesn't work, then the war is over. If it does, then it might give us enough time to develop a new strategy.

"Moving on to my proposal," Bight opened his journal and levitated it in front of himself. There was a chalk-board that had been set up behind him. He began to sketch what was on his paper. It was a cylinder with two main wings and to smaller rear wings. A rudder stood vertical in the very back. In the front was a small engine for power accompanied by the same spell that allows pegasus pets to go with them to their flying cities.

"This is a device that will allow ponies to fly."

Again, the Cloudesdale rep interrupted.

"Pegasi can already fly! There's no need for other ponies to fly. This is pointless. Let's just surrender already and not risk any more!"

The whole room fell silent and all eyes were on the Cloudesdale representative, who was on the verge of tears. Of all the ponies that would say something like that, who would have thought it would come from Cloudesdale? Two security ponies emerged to escort the emotional pony away.

All eyes were now back on Bight.

"This short-ranged flying machine will allow a team of two to fly over Sombra's armies and drop things on them like rocks, boiling oil, maybe even soldiers to pin Sombra between two fronts."

"Intriguing," said the Canterlot representative. "And how much would one of these cost to make?"

"I don't know, I've never been able to make one. I imagine the most expensive resource to be spent is time."

"Very good. I call for a recess to think about what has been presented to us."

During the break, Bight stood on the wall of Palace. Looking north, he felt like he could see into forever. The purple-black crystals loomed dangerously close to the city proper.

"Those were some pretty bold statements."

The Manehatten rep had joined Bight on the wall.

"What can I say? I have nothing to lose. Worst-case scenario, I go back to Manehatten and live out the war as a steel refiner."

"Yes, but who knows what the other council members will think. You may have blown your chances. I can assure you that you have my support. There truly isn't another chance. You're our last hope."

"I know."

They looked out over Canterlot and the land beyond. On the far side of the walls, was a vast meadow. The meadow was soon halted by a thin wood that ran around Canterlot to the south and north. Beyond that, the Everfree could vaguely be seen. Sombra was having a hard time crystallizing the forest. There was a reason that the pegasi never controlled the weather there.

On the meadow, Equestrian troops were clad in full armor and march in block formations. Forward and back, right and left. They were drilling with drummers to keep pace. The beats echoed in the distance. So Shining Armor was willing to try something after all. Maybe there was still hope.

* * *

 **Chapter 2 complete. That you so much for reading. Leave a comment with your thoughts. What did you like? What did you not like?**

 **/)**


	5. Chapter 4

It wasn't long before the Council reconvened. Bight had been waiting to hear their response. He was very nervous.

Once everypony was back in the room, except the Cloudesdale representative, the Canterlot unicorn stood to address Bight.

"Mr. Bolted Bight, I have spoken with all of the representatives in this room. We all agreed that it is in the best interest of Equestria that your advice minded greatly. The Canterlot Corps has been given permission to take advantage of the pre-war stores that we have here in Canterlot, and will use them as they see fit.

"Furthermore, we have created this certificate that will create a team of engineers, which you will lead, to design and produce weapons to use against the Dark King. You will be given a government warehouse that has access to the Crystal Caverns beneath the city. This is where you will build and store your creations. We don't want Equestrian experiments falling into Sombra's hooves. You and your team will be granted bottomless coffers of bits and resources. You, Bight, will be granted full room and board here at the Royal Palace."

"That seems like an awful lot to put into the hooves of one pony," Bight commented.

The Council member shrugged. "We don't have a whole lot to lose. If we don't do anything, Sombra wins. If you're a flop, Sombra wins."

"Fair enough."

Bight read over the piece of parchment and put it back on the table. An ink pad was slid next to him.

"I get to make amends to my team as I see fit, none of you poke any of your noses into our business, and you pull the princesses off of the front lines."

Bight slid the parchment back across the table. The rep looked around as all of the other ponies nodded, showing their acceptance of the amendments. The parchment was returned to Bight after the unicorn added the changes.

"From what I can see, if you entrust me with this potential, I can have the war won before winter," Bight said. It was still early spring.

"Don't make any promises that you can't keep," a council member warned.

Bight dipped his hoof onto the ink pad and stamped his hoof onto the contract with a resounding "Clop."

Immediately after the meeting, Bight set out for his warehouse. He found it in the industrial portion of Canterlot, which was rather small compared to Manehatten's. He entered into the massive room. It proceeded a long distance.

Cranes and chains hung from the ceiling, and the room was segmented, allowing portions to be walled off if they needed to. These would serve well as individualized work stations.

There was a small door to Bight's left. He entered and found a small office with three empty bookshelves and a tinted window into the street to allow natural light in. An oak, or maybe maple desk sat facing the window.

"What do you think?"

Bight turned around and saw the Manehatten representative trotting over to him.

"I think I can make this work," Bight responded.

"Good. I have something to show you."

The blue earth pony led Bight to a corner of the warehouse. He pulled a hidden lever that opened a large doorway. He led the way down into the Crystal Caverns. The fact the Bight had never even heard of these proves that not many ponies know about their existence.

The caverns were dark. There was largely no lighting, and the caverns wound back and forth on themselves like some kind of glorified, three-dimensional maze. Eventually, they found the large, natural mouth of the cave on the back side of the mountain.

"This will definitely work," Bight said.

After exploring the caves and abandoned mine shafts for a bit longer, Bight returned to the palace. An open room had already been prepared for him. He was shown to a tower that had a balcony overlooking the city. It was quite an impressive view. Bight sat at a table and began writing a letter to Flintlock.

 **Dear,** **Flintlock,**

 **There has been an unexpected turn of events. I will not be returning to Manehatten. Actually, I was hoping you would join me here in Canterlot. I will go through the details after you arrive. If you will be coming, make sure it's as soon as possible. If you come, I'll meet you at the train station in two days. Bring everything, we're going to be here a while. Your ticket is in this envelope.**

 **Your friend,**

 **Bolted Bight**

Bight got the ticket, sealed the letter, and brought it to the post office. If there was going to be a team of inventors led by Bight, Flintlock needed to be on it. They worked together on almost everything. From there, Bight returned to his room and watched the sunset from his balcony.

The next morning came early. A group of about fifteen architects, engineers, and mathematicians had joined Bight at his warehouse. He filled them in on the specifics of the aircraft that they would be building. Soon, large carts full of raw materials had arrived, and the initial construction began.

Bight spent the day working on his first aeroplane. By the end of the day, the body of the first aircraft was almost completed and the engine was half-way completed. Bight was not pleased with the progress.

The next morning, Bight briefed his team on the day's work then headed straight for the train station. He got there right as the Manehatten train pulled into the station. He met Flintlock on the deck.

The blue earth-pony was pulling a cart loaded down with both Bight's and Flintlock's belongings.

"Hey, Flintlock!"

"Bight? I hope you've got a good explanation for dragging me all the way out here."

Bight showed him his room in the Royal Palace, where he left their stuff, and showed him their workshop and the caves.

The plane was being constructed at the mouth of the cave behind Canterlot's mountain. It was going to be rigged with a giant slingshot to fling the craft into flight right out of the cave.

"Oh! That reminds me," Flintlock said. "I was working on something that seemed pointless, but now I think it might have a use."

Flintlock produced a sketch of a canister filled with explosives. Bight looked again at the bomb-bay doors that were going to drop rocks on Sombra's troops. A smile crossed his face as a plan began to form.

Bight left Flintlock to oversee the project and went to visit the encampment around Canterlot. He found Shining Armor in his tent. He was sitting at his desk, his face in his hooves.

"Is everything all right?" Bight asked.

"No, its just family issues," Shining Armor responded. "Can I help you with something or are you here to tell me how to do my job again?"

"Actually I came to talk about the coming battle."

"Coming battle? Sombra waits a week or two before he attacks us and we've only been here for three days. And its safe to assume that they'll wait for reinforcements before they press an attack on Canterlot. I'd say we're still a good two weeks off."

"The battle's going to be the day after tomorrow. That dosen't matter though."

Bight unrolled a topographic map of the field where the battle was to happen.

"You're here," Bight said to Shining Armor. He gestured to the moat around Canterlot.

"Sombra is going to come from here," he gestured to the forest northwest of the city.

"When they charge, and they always charge, they have all this land to cover before they get to you if you stay in the moat. Now, that is all open field. My team is working on something that could be a game-changer in the battle."

"What kind of weapon is this?"

"Honestly, it's a device to make earth ponies and unicorns fly. My invention is going to wreak havoc on their troops. When this happens, stay put. Do not move until the fires start. Then their troop is yours."

"When the fires start? What do you mean 'when the fires start?'"

"You'll see when the battle starts. One more thing, when you advance, keep your flanks wide and your formations tight. You don't want any of them to get behind you. If it works well, you'll be fighting a tired and scared enemy."

They talked for another few hours about the details and what to do after the victory, assuming it is achieved. After sundown, Bight returned to his room for the night. Separate quarters had been arranged for Flintlock, giving Bight privacy.

The next day, Bight scrambled to get the team to finish their machines. We was feeling stressed shortly after noon, so he left and went to the Canterlot library.

The large building was several floors. There were few ponies interested in books while Sombra was on the Princess's doorstep. Still, there was a lavender unicorn sitting alone at a wooden table. There was an elderly unicorn, who was probably the head librarian, and there was a young couple sitting together at a table.

The old mare brought the purple unicorn a glass of water, then made for the circulation desk.

"Can I help you?" she asked as Bight approached.

"I'm just looking. Tough day. That unicorn, does she come here often?"

"Oh every day. All she does is sit at that table and read book after book."

"Interesting. Now that I think about it, do you have anything on aerobatics?"

"As in flight tricks? Let's see, follow me."

The mare led Bight to a shelf not far from the purple mare.

"Ah, here we are. Stunts, a history of Wonderbolt art."

"Thank you."

He took the book and trotted over the unicorn at the table, she wore her striped mane down and didn't acknowledge Bight as he approached.

"You mind if I join you?"

The mare didn't respond, so Bight sat down straight across from her. There was an awkward silence. Bight broke it.

"You're a unicorn, are you any good when it comes to magic?"

She still didn't respond.

"'cause I could sure use a good pony who knows magic."

Her book hit the table with a 'thud.' She looked annoyed.

"If you want a skilled unicorn, try the Canterlot School of Advanced Magic. All the unicorns there are more than adequate when it come to that."

"Ah, but I didn't did I? I asked you."

The pony got up and trotted away. She sat down at a table on the opposite side of the room. Bight followed her.

"You don't have to say yes, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I understand what you're feeling. You're too small to volunteer for service, you can't work in a factory, and you don't have a job, so you come to this library every day to try to work past some disappointment from way back."

Tears were beginning to roll down the pony's face.

"Look at me. It's okay, but I can offer you something beyond your books."

She began to sob. She reached out and gave Bight a great big hug, which he returned.

"So, you want to come with me? At least to check this out?" Bight asked her after she had finished.

She nodded and put her book in the return tray. Bight put his book on top of hers. The librarian gave him a wink and a smile as they trotted out the main doors.

"I'm Bolted Bight, what's your name?" Bight asked as they left the library.

"Twilight Sparkle." The purple pony replied.

Bight showed Twilight their warehouse. She was particularly astonished when they arrived at the great slingshot. The first plane was ready for launch, the second sat waiting, and the third was almost completed.

"Want do go for a ride?" Bight offered.

Twilight Sparkle was speechless. A grease-covered earth-pony gave her a helmet, while Bight took one off of a shelf. They climbed into the cockpit. A pony spun of the engine. Once it reached a certain RPM, he motioned for the slingshot to be released.

The engine buzzed like a hornet and the plane flew out of the cave on its first test run. Twilight looked around in awe. No pony had ever seen Equestria from this angle before. She was amazed as they flew around Canterlot.

The towers of Canterlot rose high into the sky. The fields of green stretched endlessly in every direction. The extent of the Crystal Empires reach could be clearly seen like a blemish on the face of an otherwise pure world.

They were only in the air for a few minutes before they began to run low on fuel. This was an experimental aircraft.

As they approached the cave entrance again, a magical web stretched across the opening and caught the plane. The magic then set the plane gently in the middle of the room. The test had been a success.

Twilight joined the team that day and returned the next. The team completed the third plane and began developing Flintlock's explosive canisters. Bight slept well the next night, knowing he was prepared.

* * *

 **Sorry, for some reason, this chapter was difficult to write. Nonetheless, feel free to leave a comment telling me what you thought.**

 **Brohoof /)**


End file.
